Panaji – The Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C), Government of Goa, has launched the Goa Startup Accelerator (GSA) Programme to support startups through structured mentorship, market access, investment opportunities and growth support.
The initiative, implemented through the Startup & IT Promotion Cell (SITPC), aims to assist entrepreneurs at various stages of their development. The five-month programme will run from February to June 2026 and will conclude with a Demo Day where participating startups will present their progress.
The launch event was attended by Minister for Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, Tourism and Printing & Stationery Rohan Khaunte, Director of DITE&C Kabir Shirgaonkar, Joint Director Milind Sakhardande, and SITPC CEO D.S. Prashant, along with industry representatives and startup founders.
Addressing attendees, Khaunte said Goa has 734 startups registered with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), nearly half of which are women-led. He said initiatives such as the Goa Startup Policy 2025 and its 12 schemes, along with programmes including the Goa Accelerator Program and the Goa Open Innovation Challenge, aim to provide startups with access to capital, mentorship, infrastructure and market opportunities.
The event included an orientation session for startups enrolled in the accelerator, followed by pitch presentations and interactions with mentors.
Winners of the Goa Open Innovation Challenge 2025 and a MedTech Hackathon organised by the National Association of Palliative Care for AYUSH & Integrative Medicine in collaboration with DITE&C were also felicitated. The Goa Open Innovation Challenge 2025 report was released during the event.
